Extension table



Aug. 22, 1967 w. wENGl 3,336,883

EXTENS I 0N TABLE Filed Jan. l0, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l WALTER .wENG/ 37/nM/{wfww ffy/wf 1N vEMTof Aug. 22, 1967 w. WENGI 3,336,883

` EXTENSION TABLE Filed Jan. lO, `).966 2 Sheets-,Sheet 2 mvENTo WA LTERWENG/ %7 WMe/WMM M Mmmm/5 United States Patent O 3,336,883 EXTENSINTABLE Walter Wengi, Klingnau, Switzerland, assignor t A. Schifferle &Co. A.G., Dettingen, Aargau, Switzerland Filed Jan. 10, 1966, Ser. No.519,723 4 Claims. (Cl. 108--86) The invention relates to an extensiontable having two separable end leaves and a folding center leaf.

Extension tables of this kind have the disadvantage that not only mustfirst one and then the other end leaf be pulled out, but also that theybe suliiciently pulled out to permit the unfolding of the center leaf.

An object of the invention is to provide an extension `table in whichthe separating and bringing together of end leaves is greatlyfacilitated.

This and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and from the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a top view of the table not extended;

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the table opened for unfolding ofthe centerleaf;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the table with the center leaf in position andthe two end leaves pulled into abutment therewith;

FIGURE 4 is an end view taken along line IV-IV of FIGURE 2, with thepartly unfolded center leaf shown in dot-dash line;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are side views taken along lines V-V and VI*VI of FIGURE3;

FIGURE 7 is a detail view of the catch connection between leaves; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the catch,

Referring to FIGURES 1-6, the extension table of the invention has twoseparable leaves 10, 11, four legs 14 braced by two rails 12, 13, and atwo-section folding center leaf 15, 16, located below leaves 10, 11,when not in use. A sheave 17, 18 is mounted by means of a bracket 19 toeach of the end rails 12. Each sheave carries a cable 20, 21. One end ofcable 20 is fastened to leaf 10 near the rail 12 and the other end toleaf 11 near the middle of the table (FIGURE l). Conversely, one end ofcable 21 is fastened to leaf 11 near the other rail 12 and the other endto leaf 10 near the middle of the table. Each of the cables is guidedover its sheave under tension to form together two Us, the mouths ofwhich lie opposite one another.

Two `additional rails 22, parallel to the rails 12, are located oneither side of the folding leaf 15, 16 and serve as the ultimate supportfor the leaf 15. A tube 23, through which the cables 20, 21 are led, ispivotally mounted in the rails 22 in any .desirable manner. The fourends of cables 20, 21 are secured to the leaves 10, 11 by screws 24 orany other suitable means. The folding center leaf 15, 16 is mounted in aknown manner on the tube 23 at 23A and is hinged at its center at 23B.Thus, when the end leaves 10, 11 are separated, the center leaf can bepivoted with the tube 23 and unfolded, as shown in FIGURE 3, toconstitute the central portion of the table top extended.

The table operates in the following manner. If the table is to beextended, it is simply necessary to pull outwardly on one or the otherof the two leaves 10, 11 to cause the other leaf also to move outwardly.If leaf 10 is pulled upon, cable 20 through sheave 17 exerts a similarforce, but in the opposite direction, upon leaf 11. Conversely, if leaf11 is pulled, cable 21 through sheave 18 exerts a similar but oppositelydirected force upon leaf 10.

After the leaves have been separated, there is sufficient space topermit the unfolding of the center leaf 15, 16. As illustrated in FIGURE2, the lengths of the cables 3,336,883 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 ICCbetween the two rails 22 are completely enclosed in the tube 23, therebypreventing any possibility that the center leaf can be scratched by thecables.

When the center leaf is to be removed, it is simply folded together,swung :down -around the tube 23, and set on a support bar 22A, held bythe two rails 22, FIG- URE 2. The two end leaves 10, 11 are broughttogether simply by pushing on the one or the other. For example, if leaf10 is pushed upon, cable 21 through sheave 18 exerts a similar,oppositely directed force on leaf 11. Or, if leaf 11 is pushed, cable 20through sheave 17 pulls upon leaf 10.

From the above it is apparent that when an end leaf is pulled out, oneof the two cables pulls out the other leaf; but when an end leaf ispushed in, the other of the cables pulls in the other end leaf.

Groove and tongue joints 25a extend along the mating edges of the twoleaves 10, 11 and the mating edges of the center leaf 15, 16. A catch25, 26 is provided for securely holding the end leaves to the respectivesections 15, 16 of the center leaf. Leaves 10, 11 have mounted thereon acatch 25 and strike 26, respectively. The section 15 of the center leafis provided with a strike 26 and a catch 25. To open up the table,whether to fold or unfold the center leaf, it is simply necessary topull on one or the other end leaf 10, 11. j

To prevent shifting of the leaves 1t), 11 and to ensure non-jammingparallel guiding of these leaves, they are provided in their center andat their sides with rails. Dovetail rails 27, mounted on the undersideof the leaves 10, 11, run in dovetail grooves 28 in the rails 12. Siderails or guides 29, two for each leaf 10, 11, slide in grooves in theinner side walls of the rails 13, which latter terminate with the stops30 that limit the outward movement of the end leaves. The rails 22, asseen in FIG- URE 4, are provided with suitable openings 31, 32 for theguide rails.

The cables 20, 21 can be made of wire, hemp, synthetic plastic or anyother material suitable `for the purpose. The sheaves 17, 18 can be madeof wood, metal, a synthetic plastic, or other suitable material, andhave any desirable diameter.

The table top can be round, oval, or rectangular. The table can besupported in any desired, manner and may, for example, have four legs ora single pillar leg.

It further will be appreciated that the table of the invention is notrestricted to one having a folding center leaf but is generallyapplicable to extension tables.

I claim:

1. Extension table, including: first and second ends defined by saidtable and defining a first direction transverse to said ends; first andsecond leaves having adjacent edges mounted for movement in said firstdirection to separate said leaves along said edges, for acceptancetherebetween of at least one extension leaf; first and Y secondstationary support means at either end of the table when the table isnot extended and located -below the top thereof; first and second sheavemeans mounted on respective ones of said support means; a rst cablemeans anchored at'its respective ends to the undersides of said firstand second leaves and passing over said iirst sheave, whereby the cablemeans describes a U open towards said adjacent edges in said firstdirection; a second cable means anchored at its respective ends to theundersides of said rst and second leaves and passing over said secondsheave, whereby the cable means describes a U open towards said adjacentedges in said first direction but in an opposite sense to the U of saidfirst cable means: whereby a pull or push, to open or close the table,on either of said leaves transmits through one of said cables a like butoppositely directed force to the other of said leaves; housing meansmounted on the underside of the table top and through which thoseportions of said first and second cable means pass which are common tothe opening between said adjacent edges when the table is extended; saidhousing means pivotally mounted; a folding leaf for occupying the spacebetween said adjacent edges when the table is extended, said foldingleaf mounted on said housing means for pivoting therewith into and outof use.

2. The extension table of claim 1, including catch means fordisconnectably holding said first and second leaves together when thetable is not extended and for holding said first and second leaves tosaid folding leaf when the table is extended and the folding leaf is inuse.

3. The extension table of claim 1, wherein the ends of said first cablemeans are connected to said first leaf remoteifrom said adjacent edgesand to said second leaf ln the vicinity of said adjacent edges, and thecorresponding ends of said second cable means are connected to saidsecond leaf remote from said adjacent edges and to said first leaf inthe vicinity of said adjacent edges.

4. The extension table of claim 2, wherein the ends of said first cablemeans are connected to said first leaf remote from said adjacent edgesand to said second leaf in the vicinity of said adjacent edges, and thecorresponding ends of said second cable means are connected to saidsecond leaf remote from said adjacent edges and to said first leaf inthe vicinity of said adjacent edges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,302,420 4/1919 Nyholm 108-671,559,711 11/1925 Kusterer 108--87 1,766,694 6/1930 Siskin 108-872,031,649 2/ 1936 Harrington 108-87 2,205,274 6/ 1940 Rastetter 10S-672,274,531 2/1942 Cooper 10S-67 2,631,910 3/1953 Maracek 108-67 3,059,98110/ 1962 Bellomo 108-87 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner.

1. EXTENSION TABLE, INCLUDING: A FIRST AND SECOND ENDS DEFINED BY SAIDTABLE AND DEFINING A FIRST DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO SAID ENDS; FIRST ANDSECOND LEAVES HAVING ADJACENT EDGES MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT IN SAID FIRSTDIRECTION TO SEPARATE SAID LEAVES ALONG SAID EDGES, FOR ACCEPTANCETHEREBETWEEN OF AT LEAST ONE EXTENSION LEAF; FIRST AND SECONDSTANTIONARY SUPPORT MEANS AT EITHER END OF THE TABLE WHEN THE TABLE ISNOT EXTENDED AND LOCATED BELOW THE TOP THEREOF; FIRST AND SECOND SHEAVEMEANS MOUNTED ON RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS; A FIRST CABLEMEANS ANCHORED AT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS TO THE UNDERSIDES OF SAID FIRSTAND SECOND LEAVES AND PASSING OVER SAID FIRST SHEAVE, WHEREBY THE CABLEMEANS DESCRIBES A U-OPEN TOWARDS SAID ADJACENT EDGES IN SAID FIRSTDIRECTION; A SECOND CABLE MEANS ANCHORED AT ITS RESPECTIVE ENDS TO THEUNDERSIDES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND LEAVES AND PASSING OVER SAID SECONDSHEAVE, WHEREBY THE CABLE MEANS DESCRIBES A U OPEN TOWARDS SAID ADJACENTEDGES IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION BUT IN AN OPPOSITE SENSE TO THE U OF SAIDFIRST CABLE MEANS, WHEREBY A PULL OR PUSH, TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE TABLE,ON EITHER OF SAID LEAVES TRANSMITS THROUGH ONE OF SAID CABLES A LIKE BUTOPPOSITELY DIRECTED FORCE TO THE OTHER OF SAID LEAVES; HOUSING MEANSMOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TABLE TOP AND THROUGH WHICH THOSEPORTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CABLE MEANS PASS WHICH ARE COMMON TOTHE OPENING BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT EDGES WHEN THE TABLE IS EXTENDED; SAIDHOUSING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED; A FOLDING LEAF FOR OCCUPYING THE SPACEBETWEEN SAID ADJACENT EDGES WHEN THE TABLE IS EXTENDED, SAID FOLDINGLEAF MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING MEANS FOR PIVOTING THEREWITH INTO AND OUTOF USE.